This blog highlights how applications built around DWF can do more than what can be done just using paper. The blog covers the building (architectural/electrical/construction), manufacturing, and infrastructure (e.g., GIS, telecommunications) industries.

February 26, 2010

Some customers experience "rips", "tears" or another anomaly in the model when using the Render or Export Rendered Image functionality.

It should also be noted that the problem does not go away, once it has started. Even if the file is closed and renewed attempts are made.

This may be due to missing geometry when rendering large models, particularly models with a very large ground plane or large 3D space. This is a known issue and related to the rendering engine used in Navisworks.

Here's the one workaround that seems to have resolved the majority of cases. Improve your Render performance by hiding geometry (CTRL-H) that is unused in your view or unrelated.

February 25, 2010

We now had several customers who experienced and subsequently reported the following.

Autodesk Design Review 2010 does not start at all. The timer appears for a second when double clicking the icon or executable, but nothing else. Users also noted that the DesignReview.exe does not appear in the process list of the Windows task manager.

Oddly enough, the problem came down to a conflict with Adobe Acrobat Pro Extended and it's feature "Capture CAD Modules".

All customers that did have both, Autodesk Design Review 2010 as well as Adobe Acrobat Pro Extended installed could resolve the issue using these steps:

Go to the Windows Control Panel

Select the Uninstall feature

Choose Adobe Acrobat Pro Extended

Select Modify

Expand Adobe 3D

Choose "Capture CAD Modules"

Select "This feature will not be available"

Please let us know should you be affected by the above, meet the criteria but cannot resolve the issue by using the outlined steps.

February 19, 2010

A Mr. Richard Feder of Fort Lee New Jersey sent an email to the WAUN email alias:

What is a DWFx file created in 2009? How is it different to the DWF file created in AutoCAD 2007? Can AutoCAD 2007 users view the DWFx file created in AutoCAD 2009, or do I have to open in AutoCAD2007 and create the DWF file there?

I couldn't remember the exact release that DWFx was introduced, so I had to look at my old stash of images. I am getting old:

After doing so, I was able to reply.

The DWF formal has been around a long time. You publish them from AutoCAD. You view them and mark them up in Autodesk Design Review. Who cares what’s inside?

That outlook is only partially true. DWF files used to be single sheet. Then they evolved into multi-sheet. When that happened the format changed quite drastically. No one noticed because Autodesk Design Review supported the current and older versions of the format. The same is true today.

DWF is Autodesk’s open format. To make programming with open formats easy, many open formats are based on XML – eXtensible Markup Language. Microsoft had a format called XPS – XML Paper Specification. Among other things, it is used by Microsoft operating systems to communicate with printers. To make DWF a more widely accepted open format, Autodesk swapped out the guts of DWF (2D) and replaced it with XPS. A side effect of this change is that programmers who want to work with DWF files can do so more easily because the contents of the file is XML. A second side effect is that the file can be viewed by people who do not have Autodesk Design Review. For example Microsoft Internet Explorer can view DWFx files natively.

To answer your specific question:

If you create a DWFx file instead of DWF, users of Autodesk Design Review 2008, 2009, or 2010 can view and markup the file. Internet Explorer users can view the file.

If you create a DWFx file instead of DWF and want to use the Markup Set Manager to view the comments people made using Autodesk Design Review, you will need AutoCAD 2009 or later. (AutoCAD 2008 could publish a DWFx but viewing the DWFx in AutoCAD via the Markup Set Manager was not supported until 2009.)

So there are the gory details.

The ability to view before (and possibly never) printing allows DWF to go beyond the paper.

February 09, 2010

Autodesk Navisworks continues its commitment to support the latest versions of design applications, including non-Autodesk products and laser scanning formats. Upgrades to the Revit exporters include support for shared coordinates, rebars, and True North.

A full 64-bit version of Autodesk Navisworks Manage provides users with access to the increased performance and memory available from 64-bit operating systems. This provides the opportunity to handle even larger project datasets.

Autodesk Navisworks fully supports the following operating systems:

Windows® XP software: 32-bit versions and 64-bit versions

Windows Vista® software: 32-bit version and 64-bit versions

2. Clash Detective:

You can now group clash results into folders to simplify the management of related clashes. The group can be dealt with as a single issue, while retaining an audit of each individual clash. A Group Clashes Involving Item option is available to automatically create a new group for all clashes involving the selected item. Clash reports support the new clash group functionality. Using the View In Context button, the camera will automatically transition from the clash location to a chosen vantage point "outside" of the model, allowing you to orientate yourself. The camera will then transition back into the clash location. Along with making the the new Transparent Dimming display option, this allows you to visually locate the clash within the surrounding model. You can now automatically transition to the next clash result rather than jumping straight to the next clash through the View In Context feature, thereby allowing you to keep track of your updated location. A new Reviewed clash status has been added to clearly identify those clashes that require a design change or need to be discussed with relevant trades, before being able to Approve or Resolve the clash.

3. TimeLiner:

CSV files created from external applications, such as Microsoft®Excel® software, can be linked from the Navisworks TimeLiner module. Any schedules created in TimeLiner, or modifications to linked schedules can now be exported to the common CSV format. This provides the opportunity for that data to be imported into other applications. In addition, you can now copy and paste TimeLiner dates to other tasks, or to other applications such as Microsoft Excel. The same selection of objects can also be attached to multiple tasks. This allows you to simulate multiple operations that need to be preformed, when only a single geometry source exists. Take a wall, for example, this may be modeled as a single object whereas it may be constructed of an inner and outer wall, insulation, drywall, and a finishing layer. This feature allows all of these tasks to be siulated on a single piece of geometry.

4. Presenter:

The Navisworks Presenter module now supports PNG files, including transparency—also known as an Alpha channel. This allows you to create semitransparent image files and then use them to build your own materials. As the image background is transparent, you can see through the background and when rendered, the lights only cast a shadow of the visible trees, and not the transparent background.

5. Measure Tool:

Measurements are now displayed directly in the scene view, which increases efficiency as you no longer need to read your result in the Measure Tools control bar. The measure shortest distance feature allows you to take quick, accurate measurements between two objects, without requiring a vertex to snap to. In addition, shortest distance measurements can now be taken from centerlines of pipes when available and display a centerline icon. All measurement can now be easily saved for later use by converting them to redlines and saveing them as a viewpoint.

6. Sectioning:

The Section Box tool allows you to automatically add six section planes to focus on a subsection of the unified model by revealing only those objects within the box. In addition, the section box can iteratively move around the project site. The new Align to Plane option allows any object's face to be selected for the section plane to be aligned directly to that face.

7. Auto-Save:

You now have the option of automatically saving a backup of your work at regular intervals using the Auto-save tool. Should an application error occur, these backup files can be used for automatic recovery.

8. Artificial Horizon:

You can now place your model against a fixed artificial horizon so that it appears more realistic and does not float in midair. The background of the scene view is split across the horizontal plane giving the effect of a sky and the ground. The resulting artificial horizon gives you an indication of your orientation in the 3D world.

9. Site and Project Folders:

You can now configure site and project folders at install time, making deployment across an organization easier. These folders provide a shared working environment, from workspaces to Global Options.

10. Communication Center:

Communication Center allows the Autodesk Navisworks team to notify you of product related updates and announcements. This can include information on: product support, subscription announcements, articles and tips, maintenance patches, and featured technologies and content.

February 04, 2010

Hey it's Scott Sheppard. I sit right across from Senior Marketing Manager, Kimberly Whinna. Kimberly manages many aspects of our One Market Gallery. She's actually training me to be an Autodesk One Market Gallery Ambassador. I thought we'd use the term docent, but Senior Manager, Customer Briefing Program, Jason Medal-Katz, informed me that if your title is ambassador, people have to refer to you as "your excellency." Yeah right, I look forward to that. Kimberly wanted everyone to know that

Check out the IDEA Studio, Autodesk's new residency program in San Francisco! Includes grant and temporary relocation. Submit a proposal: http://bit.ly/axa1sP

Donating money is just paper. Dontaing time, space, and expertise goes beyond the paper.